We started this game on Friday around 8pm. After a brief overview, placement and rules explanation, our player were eager to begin. The first couple of turns, the Boxers moved at a steady pace. At one end of the Legation Quarter, the Boxers already had control of the Austrian & Italian Legation. The Russian player, as the British persuaded him to, advanced out of their Legation into some rough ground to help stall the advance of the Boxers. As a firefight had ensued and some HTH attacks, the Russians quickly retreated back to the Legation for much harder cover. The Imperial Artillery had advanced onto the board along with the Imperial Chinese forces. On the top of the wall, the Boxers were having a much tougher time. The Germans and US were putting up a tough fight on top of the wall. The Great Powers up there had placed 2 rows of barricades on the top of the wall to have a fall back position if the forward barricades fell.
As the Boxers continued their advance towards the French Legation, the Great Powers had organized a line of defense consisting of the Austrians, French and Italians. The Austrian Sailors with the Maxim machine gun began to rip holes into the units of Boxers. The Italians had created a wall of sandbags to hold out behind to link the French Legation and German Legation together.
Back on the other front, the Russians were in full retreat to their Legation, the Dutch and the translators were being isolated and hung out to dry. The British Commander was mobilizing his forces to go out and help relieve the Dutch. As he began to march out of the Legation he noticed the entire Japanese force was marching over the bridge, abandoning the other front entirely. As he did not trust the Japanese, he quickly re-manned his walls and began to discuss the situation with the Japanese. Back over at the French Legation, the Boxers had broken through a gate that was left un-manned. A close combat occurred with the French eventually throwing back the Boxers but not without loosing some men.
On the wall, the Boxers were taking a pounding by the Germans and Americans. The Boxers were unable to breech the first set of barricades on the wall. Down below, the Boxers began to tighten the noose on the Dutch. The Boxers kept throwing wave after wave against the Dutch and the European translators. With the Russians in full retreat, US forces split between the walls and trying to get the International Gun mobilized. There was no relief in sight. Even the British could not help being bogged down into heavy diplomatic discussions with the Japanese. It seemed like our friends from the Netherlands were about to join the nether region. Back at the French Legation, the Boxers were overrunning the Legation. It was decided by the French and Austrians that a formed retreat was necessary because the Japanese had vacated their Legation.
As the French moved to link up with the Italians and Germans, the Austrian Sailors provided a rear guard. Wave after wave of Boxers continued to be gunned down by the Austrians and their machine gun. With all the troops moving in the open, the Imperial Artillery began to rain down on the Legation Quarter. Unfortunately for the Boxers, the Artillery landed on unit after unit of Boxers.
At this point, the Boxers broke off attacks on all fronts. A hard day of fighting had ended with many casualties on both sides. With the attacks halted, the Great Powers began to reevaluate defenses, bring wounded back to the line and to re-deploy.
As the morning opened in the Legation Quarter, the Great Powers were ready for another Boxer attack. The British Legation was heavily fortified as the last line of defense on one side of the canal. The Dutch had moved into the British Legation for more protection. Russian troops still held their Legation and the US were split between both the top of the wall and the US Legation. On the other side, the Germans manned both the wall and their Legation. The French and Austrians had placed a line of sandbags in front of the Japanese Legation. The Italians had fortified a line between the German and Japanese Legation with the Japanese & Spanish in reserve. The US during the night sent scouts through the drainage canal to alert the Relief Column of the situation.
The Boxers organized for another wave assault on the Legation Quarter. The Boxers had a large section of uncontested ground on the British end of the Legation Quarter. At this point the US had moved the International Gun onto the ramp to fire down on the Boxer mobs as they raced through the quarter.
On the other front, the Boxers moved onto the fortified line of Western powers. As the Boxers advanced, the Imperial Artillery rained down but was mostly hitting the Boxers mobs by mistake. On the wall, the Boxers were gaining some ground by tearing down the first set of barricades. The Spanish had sent scouts over to the US Legation. Once inside they brained a guard and were able to steal the secret documents they were looking for.
The Russians with British support were holding off the Boxers on that end of the Quarter. At this time the Boxers broke out a medieval catapult. As they rolled it up into position, the Boxers were closing in on the base of the ramp in front of the International Gun.
As the Boxers raced up the ramp, they launched the catapult. As luck would have it, the catapult fell short and almost totally eliminated the mob of Boxers charging up the ramp. The wall and the ramp continued to be a thorn in the side of the Boxers.
On the other front, the Boxers continued to press the attack. Wave after wave was thrown against the sandbags. The Austrians continued to mow down Boxers with their machine gun. The Imperial Artillery was finally hitting the Great Powers' troops. The German See Battalion was aggressively defending their Legation from melee after melee. The Boxers were unable to make up any ground on this end of the Quarter. The Great Powers were proving to be too tough. With the Boxers units evaporating and others under strength the attack was called off.
Again the Boxers fell back to secure locations inside the Legation Quarter to rebuild units. The Boxers knew that the Relief Column could not be too far away now, so this may be the last chance they have to reform. The Great Powers, feeling good after another tough defense, decided not to fall back but just bring back some of the wounded.
As the horns and drums sounded, the Great Powers knew another Boxer attack was on its way. The Boxers again moved in on both ends of the Legation Quarter. This time something was slightly different. The Imperial Chinese were out in front of the Boxers, leading the charge. The Great powers seemed to be slightly perplexed by this. Wasting no time, the Austrians and Americans opened fire into the Imperial troops. A loud yell was heard around the table. Now the Imperial Chinese forces were able to engage the Great Powers with no penalty.
The Boxers were given the momentum shift that was needed. On top of the wall the Boxers stormed the last set of barricades, Units continued to press on toward the bottom of the ramp and German Legation was in the process of being surrounded. Also the Imperial Artillery was continuing to kill both Boxers and Great Powers.
As the attack pressed against the Great Powers on all fronts, a large wooden tower was being wheeled up to the wall from outside the Legation Quarter. From the tower, a barrage of rockets were launched. Again bad luck for the Boxers as it caused more casualties for the Boxers than the Great Powers. As the tower hit the wall, Boxers poured onto the wall behind the German troops defending the barricades. The Germans fell back to link up with the Americans at the top of the ramp.
The Japanese, seeing the retreat on the wall, began to march towards the ramp over the drainage canal. The Great Powers now lost its reserve on that end of the Legation Quarter. Riding into the Quarter from the Forbidden City was the Tartar Cavalry to help bring home the Boxer attack. The defenses of the Great Powers were beginning to fold. Especially since the Imperial troops were able to bring their firepower to bear on the Great Powers.
The US on the wall was feeling the noose beginning to tighten. The Japanese were still not in position to help them defend. The International Gun was firing shell after shell. The defenses were holding on the wall and ramp for now. The Boxers had started to make a dent in the defense of the Great Powers near the German Legation.
Just as things seemed to be grim for the Great Powers, two units of cavalry from the relief column rode into the Legation Quarter. A unit of Russians and Japanese Cavalry began to attack the rear of the Boxers advance near the Dutch Legation. As the Boxers turned units and guns to face the cavalry, it stalled the attack, which is what the Great Powers needed.
The Japanese had been able to reinforce the Americans and Germans on the wall and ramp. The British were seeing a wave of Boxers moving on their Legation. The Great Powers began a fighting withdrawal towards the British Legation. The French & Austrian troops became the rear guard as units tried to make it over the bridge to the other side of the Quarter. Artillery round after round dropped on the Great Powers but unit after unit was making it over the bridge.
After the initial ride to glory, the Russian & Japanese cavalry were beginning to loose steam. With casualties and more units turning to face, it became clear the cavalry would not be the savior alone for the Great Powers. As the Boxers closed in on the bridge, things looked grim for the Great Powers. The Japanese commander ordered his troops to make a banzai charge to the top of the wall. This would prove not enough to stop the Boxers.
As the smoke cleared, the Relief Column entered the Legation Quarter to relieve the siege, it was clear that it was a Boxer victory on the table.
I really enjoyed this version of Peking. As the GMs, we were able to play this game to its conclusion without having to rush a decision. The action and drama was so intense, all weekend players did not want to stop for meals. That is a good indicator this is a great game and our players had a great time. I want to thank all our players, Mike Shay for helping me GM, and Karl Krueger for letting us put this event on.
Next year, Mike and I are going to run a huge Pirate's event at KarlCon. Hope to see everyone next year!
55 Days in Peking The Making of a Mega Colonial Game
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© Copyright 2004 Hal Thinglum
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